Bravado
by ahorn7987
Summary: SwanQueen Angst Fluff


**This is my first true SwanQueen story. I appreciate any feedback anyone wants to give me. This is based on a true story.**

 **For all purposes: I do not own these characters. Only the story behind it is my own. Names are taken from OUAT and are solely their property!**

Chapter 1

The first time I ever met her I was instantly drawn to her. I was captivated….

A few years prior, I had met our mutual friend, Ruby. I had just gotten out of a year and a half relationship, and was in desperate need of a good time. So, my childhood friend, Mary Margaret, and I packed our bags and headed north for the weekend to the local pride event. Intent on having a good time, I downed a few shots and we went out for the night. Seeing this fun looking brunette across the bar with mounds of beads, I gathered up the courage and walked up and asked her for some. Ruby and I hit it off instantly. At first it seemed to be going the romantic route, but I just wasn't into it.

Fast forward two years to a move out of my hometown, and cue me walking into our local gay bar. Ruby had been telling me about her amazing friends that I just had to meet. I'm not really sure why I hadn't met any of them yet; probably my poor time management. It was karaoke night. All of Ruby's friends, including her, were amazingly talented. From singing, to acting and dancing, they were an intimidating outspoken bunch. Growing up in small Storybrooke, Maine, no one like them ever appeared to me. I was enthralled. There was Ruby of course, who was your typical Leo in every sense. She commanded attention, though most of it comical, and had pipes that could knock your socks off. Killian, Ruby's best gay guy friend, was his own character. Outspoken and could come back at you with witty one-liners almost as fast as myself. It was platonic love at first meet. Then there was Regina.

I had walked into the bar to the most beautiful voice I had ever heard come out of someone. Ruby greeted me in a hug and introduced me to everyone. When she introduced me to the siren that had blessed my ears, I suddenly felt inadequate. No one ever intimidated me. Ever. She was beautiful, with shoulder length dark brown hair, piercing chocolate eyes, sultry full red lips, and I knew I was in for it.

"Emma, this is Regina."

"Hi", I said with the dopiest grin. Seriously what was wrong with me?!

"Hello, Emma. It's nice to meet you. Ruby has been talking about you for quite some time so it's nice to finally put a face to a name", Regina said coolly and then just walked off.

Wait. What just happened? I looked to Ruby and she just shrugged and said, "Don't worry about it. She's not very happy about you being here. I think she thinks you're trying to take her best friend away, which I realize is completely juvenile, but that's just how she is. Give her time. She'll love you as much as I do".

Well at least it wasn't me. However, I was determined to get in her good graces but I was going to need a little liquid courage to get up the nerve to approach her again. So the drinking began. Feeling slightly tipsy, I sauntered over to where she stood with Killian.

"You're really pretty. Like… REALLY pretty"…Shit. It was like word vomit and Killian just snickered.

"Umm…Thanks", she said with the most political looking smile I had ever seen. It was still gorgeous and I did not care. After that, her mood seemed to lighten a little. Score one for Emma Swan! After that I had one goal; to make the ice queen soften up to me. For some reason though, life had other plans.

Shortly after meeting all of Ruby's friends for the first time, I met a girl named Lily. Our relationship was tumultuous from the beginning. Lily was a troublemaker and an alcoholic with a temper. I lost touch with a lot of friends I previously had because I was ashamed of the rollercoaster she had me on. Ruby and her friends, however, were an exception. She loved going out to karaoke night with everyone, and even though Ruby disapproved, I saw her for a year. When it ended, I hit rock bottom; Ruby was there for me the entire time. That summer was filled with great times with new friends that I now considered family.

Halfway into summer, Ruby invited me to a show Regina was starring in. To say I was excited to see her perform for the first time was an understatement. About fifteen minutes into the first act, however, I got a nauseating migraine. I felt awful about asking Ruby if we could leave, but she assured me everything was fine and it was no big deal. Wrong. Completely and utterly wrong.


End file.
